Double Back
by OneDarkandStormyNight
Summary: To begin with, Benton Quest murdered his family in a bloodbath. Then, he finds himself materialized back at the Lighthouse, and all are alive with no memory of ever being harmed. But is everything really what it seems? The story of a father's desperation.
1. Author's Note

**I hope this is not against the rules to write an Author's Note as one full chapter, but I just wanted it to be known **_**before**_** you read the Introduction two very important things:**

**One: I know how the very beginning reads, but just so you know, I am not a dark emo chick who likes death, trust me. I just wanted to grab your attention. You'll understand when you read.**

**And two: This is **_**NOT**_** an Alternate Universe of Jonny Quest. Even if it may seem that way at first, it's not, and it'll all make sense in the end if you just keep reading the updates, I promise. The truth will especially start to be revealed around Chapter 6, so stick around until then and you'll get it. *wink***

**Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll enjoy this story about the love Benton Quest has for his family and the second chances he receives to fight for them...**

**~Rin~**


	2. Introduction

_And...enjoy, my dear readers..._

**INTRODUCTION**

**QUEST COMPOUND, MAINE**

The world is as black as midnight, thought it is only noon in the middle of summertime August. The sun does not shine; it is covered by a thick, black cloud that permits no light to pass. The ocean beats against the cliffs at the base of the Quest Compound, having been washed over the once-beautiful beach — the beach that held so many memories of a brighter, happier time.

The Quest Mansion is as dark as the sky, with not a sliver of light nor sign of life to be seen; it is as bleak and lifeless as the stormy seas that rage below. The garden that once encircled the grand house is dead and broken, its life long lost in the endless cold that surrounds the place.

Up the cracked stone path from the Mansion, to the crumbling Lighthouse that was filled with laughter not so long ago, a bluish light flickers spasmodically through the crack at the bottom of the doorframe. Inside, tables lay overturned, chairs broken, papers covering the floor, metal and technological parts in shattered pieces everywhere, floors and walls with holes and cracks marring them…

Amidst it all lay four bodies.

The sprawled body of Race Bannon lays facedown, the blood from his slit throat soaking the strewn hair of his lifeless daughter, who lies stiffly beside him with terror etched eternally in her once-lovely face.

Hadji Quest-Singh slumps against a fissured wall, his head limply sunken upon his unmoving chest, dark blood dripping from his once-white turban onto his lap.

Jonny Quest sits in a QuestWorld chair, cold and gray as the rest. His horror-stricken face has fallen limply to the side against the torn cushion. His sweat-soaked blonde locks are plastered upon his forehead, his faded blue eyes wide in terror, his mouth open with blood trickling from his lips.

His eyes cold and unfeeling, Dr. Benton Quest steps over the bodies of Race and Jessie Bannon, to the faded wooden door of the Lighthouse. His hands steady and his face set in stone, he turns the knob and pushes open the door to reveal the dark, gray world. Halfway through the doorway, he stops and looks back one last time. His face bears no emotions of either guilt or regret; he only narrows his eyes as he picks up the knife that slaughtered his family from the floor and places it on the table near the door.

Without another look back, he exits the building and closes the door behind him, never to return.

* * *

**QUEST COMPOUND, MAINE**

The sun burns brightly over the home of Dr. Benton Quest and his family, for it is the middle of the day in the month of August. The foamy ocean waves crash upon the golden sand, coupled with the lively cries of the seagulls that swoop overhead.

The Mansion seems to almost be alive in itself; the sun glares off the many clear windows, the flowers and bushes and small tropical trees surrounding it blossoming in the sunshine, creating a rainbow of colors.

The Lighthouse stands sturdy and picturesque as ever, also surrounded by a scenic garden of plants. Butterflies and other insects flap and crawl on the leaves and petals, making it a place filled with life.

Little would it seem, then, that a dark obstruction was about to come from inside the reddish brick walls.

The motherboard computer of QuestWorld blinks to life, scattered, indiscernible codes of various numbers and letters jumping across the screen, as if typed by invisible hands. The symbols come faster and faster, becoming too quick to read, blending together in a blur of glowing green neon.

Then, suddenly, it stops, the entire screen alight with the green glow. In the same instant, the squared windows of the QuestWorld wall monitor crack and a wave of electric energy pass over it, building more strength as it progresses.

A split-second later, there is a spark, and a figure materializes into one of the cushioned chairs in the center of the room.

A bewildered, trembling Benton Quest with a blood-blackened rag wrapped around his right upper arm sits up and looks around the room, his breathing labored and his brow furrowed in either frustration or confusion.

Before he can move, the door leading from outside bursts open, and with the sunlight pouring in steps Jonny, Hadji, and Jessie, very much alive and well, their voices raised in playful bickering and care-free laughter.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

_Review if you want explanations...!!  
__~Rin~_


	3. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

**QUEST COMPOUND, MAINE**

"As if, Jess; you know I'm gonna beat you for the third time in a row. Why even bother…Oh, hey, Dad!" Jonny Quest called to his father as he and his friends entered the brick building. The sunlight from outside glinted off his golden hair as a cool breeze made his white T-shirt bristle like the faint waves audible from the beach. "What're you doing up here? I thought you were helping Race fix his car."

"We were just playing in QuestWorld for a while," added Jessie Bannon, swiping a strand of fiery red hair as she and Jonny reached for two Questor glasses for the program and Hadji Quest-Singh, Jonny's adopted brother from India, took the seat behind the motherboard computer. "Looks like you've already got a pair on. Would you like to play with us?"

"Those QuestWorld glasses aren't like ours, Doctor Quest," noted Hadji with undisguised curiosity. "Aren't they one of the pairs we used to use a few years ago, right after you made QuestWorld?"

"Why do you have on those antiques, Pop?" joked Jonny, holding up the modernized glasses. "Here; want a pair of these?"

"No," he gasped out, as he stood stiffly, not removing the small helmet attached to the older prototype glasses, but ripping off the glasses themselves from it as if they burned him.

"Are you all right, Doctor Quest?" questioned Hadji, his fingers pausing for a moment as he scrutinized his adopted father and employer. "You are bleeding!"

His eyes somewhat dazed, Benton gripped the days-old wound, as if attempting to hide it, touching the stiff rag as if just realizing was present.

"Dad?" Jonny moved toward him. "You're kind of pale…er than usual. You look like you just saw a ghost." Gently, he reached out and laid his hand on his father's arm, knowing that whatever was wrong, he and his friends would surely be able to help his father fix it. They were a team; all of them together could move mountains, and had before (you don't want to know…).

The hand on the injured arm suddenly clenched into a fist, and he pulled his arm out of Jonny's grasp, his face twisting slowly into a half-smile and his eyes softening with his gaze found his son's. "I'm fine, Jonny. You kids have fun in QuestWorld. I'll…see you a little later."

With that, he quickly exited the Lighthouse and stalked back down the stone path toward the Mansion. Jonny, Hadji, and Jessie stared after him, each bewildered by his odd, unnatural behavior. Dr. Benton Quest rarely acted so unnerved and reserved, and was usually quite open about what he was doing; he loved nothing more than to describe his latest experiment or discovery and watch his children's eyes alight. If something non-work related was bothering him, he was known to bring his family (or often just Jonny) into one room and explain his feelings. It was hardly ever than he acted so secretive.

"Is your dad okay, Jonny?" asked Jessie slowly. "He looked scared, almost."

"He looked upset, or angry," added Hadji in agreement. "What was wrong with him, do you think?"

Jessie turned to Jonny, pointing her finger at him accusingly. "Jonny Quest, what did you do this time?"

Jonny raised his palms up defensively. "Nothing that I know of, I swear! Maybe he found that program we accidentally infested with virus bugs last week…"

"We!" repeated Hadji indignantly. "That was _you_, my friend. I did a very good job at cloaking it as well, thank you very much."

"Maybe you should ask your dad what's wrong, Jonny, just to be sure," Jessie suggested. "He'll tell you."

"Yeah, maybe you're right. Be back in a sec, guys. Go ahead and start up the flight simulator."

* * *

**QUEST COMPOUND**

Jonny ran down the path to catch up with his father, who seemed to be stalking much faster that his usual controlled stride. The man took the many deck stairs on the side of the house two at a time, urgently pulling open the sliding glass door that led to their large, grand kitchen.

Jonny followed his father from a distance, trying to catch up as the man half-ran through the house, past all the exquisite, expensively decorated rooms and foreign, priceless paintings and pottery and furniture.

"Dad, wait up!" he called, but Benton did not seem to hear him, merely pounded faster up the swirling staircase that led to the upper floors (the Mansion has four in all, though the fourth is used only as an attic).

"Dad!"

He does not stop.

His intuition (which Hadji refers to as more of a psychic ability) began to kick in, as it always did when something was amiss, and he knew that whatever was causing his father to act so freaked out was sure to be more than a petty QuestWorld malfunction.

He broke into a run as Dr. Quest neared a hallway with unscathed dark wood floors covered a Tibetan rug and exotic Asian paintings and bamboo trees in pots.

When he turned the corner, he heard a door slam, but to his surprise, it did not sound as if it came from Dr. Quest's room, which was about halfway down, but from the door beside it. But what would his father want in the Tibet room? Surely he wouldn't need any of the Oriental statuettes or old scrolls to help Race fix his beloved sports car, or to make right a QuestWorld program gone haywire.

A chilling feeling creeping up his spine for a reason he was not yet sure of, he silently pushed open the heavy door and slid into the room. Thick, heavy curtains tied in the middle with golden twin covered the windows, tall bookcases and small tea tables with looping, coiled carvings decorated the floors, with figurines of slithering creatures and porcelain dolls and ancient books lining the shelves. The walls were painted dark velvet and two marble horses, reared up in mid-cry, guarded the fireplace.

But no sign of his father.

Something deep inside him told him not to call out, so there he stood, not knowing what exactly to do, when suddenly he sensed someone standing uncomfortably close behind him.

His breath caught and he whirled around, prepared for anything.

"Jonny?" Dr. Benton Quest's voice was filled with bafflement, his expression one of honest curiosity as his chocolate brown eyes appraised his son.

Jonny breathed a sigh, just the mere sight of his father driving away all unease.

"You scared me," he said with a sheepish grin.

Dr. Quest half-smiled back in pure amusement, the look of perplexity deepening on his handsome features. "What on earth are you doing in here, Jonny?"

"Looking for you," he answered honestly, but then he almost laughed when he felt that the man might not believe him…what a weird thing to think - he had come in here first!

This time, Dr. Quest merely chuckled at his son's answer (he was rather used to weird responses from the young Quest). "Well, here I am. Is something wrong?"

"No, well…I don't know. I was going to ask _you_ that. You seemed sort of…weirded out."

There is was again - that look of confusion that made Jonny believe his dad must think he's crazy…or high. Or both.

"Did I, now?" he said, fighting a smile. "I came here to get the wrench that I keep in my nightstand." He held it up illustratively. "Race and I needed it for the car." Seeing his son's eyes narrow in mystification, he added reassuringly, "I'm not troubled about anything, son."

"Oh. Good."

Dr. Quest laughed aloud at the absurdity of the situation, unable to control it, and put his arm around Jonny's shoulders, leading him out of the room.

"You are certainly odd at times, did you know that, son?"

The sound of his father's laughter and teasing instantly made Jonny's mood lighter again. "Yeah, I get it from my dad. He's kind of weird too sometimes."

"Ah…touché."

They laughed together, and Jonny failed to notice that the arm his father placed around his shoulder was _not_ wrapped in a bloodied bandage around the top.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

_Wonder why the Doc is acting so weird. Hm...Guess you'll hafta wait for the next chapter. (All except KayJoel, that is; he knows me already, so he's lucky enough not to have to wait for updates.) I'm sure a lot of you have already gotten your own theories bouncing around, though...they might be right, they might not be. You will just have to wait and see. (Have I made a rhyme?)  
If you see any typos/grammatical errors, please let me know. Thanks.  
~Rin~_


	4. Chapter 2

_Wondering what's going on? Wait til you read this..._

**CHAPTER TWO**

**QUEST COMPOUND, MAINE**

"Sadly, just as Orpheus and his wife were nearing the exit of Hades, he turned around in the boat and looked back at her," recited Dr. Quest, the flickering golden glow of the fire before him casting shadows in the crevices of his handsome face.

The moon was high above them, a pale, perfect, round sphere in the blackness of the night, accompanied in its journey across the sky by millions of twinkling stars. Its pull being greater than that of the sun made the waves roll all the louder, a backdrop sound to the mysterious, olden tales Dr. Quest told around the blazing beach bonfire.

"Why'd he do that?" interrupted Jonny, who sat beside him toasting a marshmallow.

"Because he couldn't bear not seeing her for another second," volunteered Jessie, her eyes shining as she pictured a love so strong.

"That is one theory," agreed Dr. Quest as he shared a quick, amused glance with Race, who shook his head affectionately at his daughter's hereditary romantic tendencies. "Another is that he did not truly believe she was in the boat with him, and his skepticism got the better of him and caused him to see for himself. Still, for whatever reason it may have been, his beloved wife was pulled back into the depths of Hades, and Orpheus was cat out, never to see her again."

"Maybe Hades did that on purpose, because he actually fell in love with Orpheus' wife," said Jonny thoughtfully. "He pretended to be impressed with Orpheus' lyre just to make himself seem fair and just, and then before he let her go he made her promise not to say a word until they reached the exit of Hades, because he knew that Orpheus would look back to make sure she was there if he didn't hear her speak."

Dr. Quest smiled, entertained by the fact that Race wasn't the other father present who had passed something onto his offspring; Jonny's curiosity and theorizing were two qualities he definitely shared with his father.

After a few more minutes of comfortable silence, broken only by the crackling of the flame and the noise of the ocean, Race stood and said, "Well, I think I'm gonna hit the hay, all. 'Night."

Jessie yawned and laid aside her own marshmallow stick. "Me too, guys. See you in the morning."

"Tomorrow morning we'll see that I can beat you in QuestWorld sound wave surfing, Jess," quipped Jonny impishly.

"I'll take that bet," she replied evenly as she ran across the sand to catch up with her father.

"I think I too shall go to bed," said Hadji with a deep sigh. "I am feeling very tired."

"Are you unwell?" asked Dr. Quest, concern flitting over his face as he squeezed his adopted son's shoulder.

"I do not believe so," answered the Indian boy. "I just keep getting these strange vibes. I am sure it is nothing very important, though. Do not worry. Goodnight."

"'Night, Hadj."

After a moment, Dr. Quest stood. "I think I'll follow the rest of the family's example and turn in for the night, Jonny. I'd feel better if you did the same."

Jonny smiled at his father's obvious worry at his being outside in the dark without anyone else, even if it was only a short walk from the beach to the house _and _Race had been teaching all three kids self-defense since the day they met.

"Don't worry, Pop. I'll be right inside. I'm just going to finish my S'more and put out the fire; then I'll go to bed."

"Don't be too long," his father warned, patting his shoulder and pushing a lock of blonde hair away from his eyes affectionately.

After his father disappeared into the darkness toward the Mansion, Jonny sat with his elbows on his knees, the marshmallow browning as the flame licked it, the orange glinting in his pupils as he stared, not thinking of anything in particular.

After several minutes of nearly complete silence, that eerie feeling began to creep up his spine once again. Almost involuntarily, his back straightened and he looked around…for what, he knew not. But someone or something was watching him. He could feel it.

There was a soft noise behind him, and he whirled around, dropping the bent hanger he was using to toast the marshmallow into the sand.

And once again, a pair of nearly black eyes stared at him with mild curiosity.

"Dad?" he exclaimed with surprise, glancing from the path he had just seen his father go down back to the man standing before him. "Where'd you come from? I thought you went to bed. And why'd you change?" He took in the black T-shirt and pants.

"I was going to bed when I…saw through my window that you were still sitting here," came the quiet answer. "I worried."

Almost forcibly, Jonny unclenched his brow and said casually, "Oh. I was just about to go to in anyway."

The man was quiet for a moment, his gaze wandering to the moon above, then back to the boy. "Would you like to sit with me for a minute, son? It is a beautiful night, after all."

"Um, sure." Jonny sat back down on the low, sanded logs they used for benches, his father taking the seat beside him — slowly, he noticed, almost fearfully.

"Are you sure you're all right, Dad? You look a little…weirded out about something."

The side of Dr. Quest's mouth twitched in a half-smile. "I'm fine, Jonny." He turned his head to look at the boy's face. "And you?"

He was a bit confused by the sincere question, but he answered anyway, "I'm good. Kind of tired, but fine."

The seconds ticked by, his father never saying a word, but Jonny had the unsettling feeling that he was holding something back. It was so strange that he would be, though — was he not just sitting here not half an hour ago, laughing and telling stories about Greek gods and goddesses and how to build a wraith-proof panic room and where the Loch Ness Monster might hide during the day, looking completely at ease and content? What could have happened in so short a time to make him suddenly so morose?

Just when he was growing weary of the silence and was about to come out and ask him to confide in him, Dr. Quest said in a tranquil voice, "You know, I don't think I've ever taken the time to appreciate the beauty of this place."

Well _that_ was not was he was expecting.

"Whaddya mean, Pop?" If this had something to do with whatever was troubling him (and he was sure it did), Jonny knew his dad would get around to it in his own good time.

But instead of answering, Dr. Quest sighed and faced Jonny, cupping his face in one trembling hand like he used to do when Jonny was a little boy and got hurt or had a nightmare — the gesture of a comforting father, his face expressionless but his eyes filled with an ancient emotion the boy didn't understand.

"Jonny," he murmured, "you know that I would never harm you for the world, don't you?"

He felt the confusion on his face, and nodded hesitantly. "Sure. Isn't that why you're always so paranoid about everything?" He smirked, trying to lighten the dark mood that had encircled them both.

Dr. Quest offered another wry half-smirk, but the feeling did not even come close to reaching his eyes.

"And son," he gripped Jonny's palm with his free hand earnestly, "you know that I love you — that I would do anything for you? Even so far as to die?"

"Of course, Dad." He was past trying to be funny. "But…why-why are you asking me this? Did something happen…?"

"I don't know," he whispered, dropping his hand from his son's face and wrapping it around the fingers of the hand he already held. "I was just thinking about what happened last night, and I suddenly wanted to be sure you knew. I didn't mean to frighten you, son."

"You didn't _frighten _me," Jonny corrected reflexively, his pride refusing to admit even one lapse of bravery.

Dr. Quest chuckled noiselessly and squeezed his son's hand tighter in his grasp. "I meant, make you uneasy. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Dad. Really," he reassured. "You just had me worried there for a second. I though you were going to, like, shoot me or something."

The brown eyes that had been watching their hands suddenly met his sapphire ones, hard and dark. He pulled his hands back and moved to stand.

"It's late. You should go to bed, son," he said firmly. Then, his eyes softened for an instant and he placed a soft kiss on his temple. "I'll see you tomorrow, Jonny." Spoken as if the words had some deep meaning he should understand.

"Um, you too, Pop."

For the second time, the broad-shouldered silhouette of his father vanished into the night, the soft footsteps fading into the distance.

* * *

_Things are getter weirder and weirder around here...Is he controlled by Zin? A time-traveller? Schizophrenic?? Keep guessing...  
And for heaven's sakes review!! *biggrin*  
~Rin~_


	5. Chapter 3

_You know how there's a T-rating on this story? Well, call me paranoid, but this chapter is one of the reasons why…_

**CHAPTER THREE**

**QUEST COMPOUND**

The world was silent again as the clock beside the fireplace in the large sitting room struck midnight. The Atlantic waves were wild as the moon has its tidal effect, a haunting lullaby to the slumbering people that lay comfortably in their beds within the protective walls of the Mansion. They had no fear of the outside world, for the place they resided was sturdy and safe, its walls of cool metal and protocols of defense against outsiders making it a safe haven.

Little did they know, it is not what is on the outside that they should fear.

The moon poured a beam of its icy blue radiance into the darkened room belonging to Dr. Benton Quest. The man himself laid on his back in the German-made oak bed, his eyes closed peacefully in slumber and his breathing deep and even. One hand rested limply across his chest, and the pale-blue moonlight made the white skin on the back of his hand and the side of his face fairly glow, reflecting off the red in his hair. (1)

With a gasp of shock, his eyes suddenly flashed open, his body jerking spasmodically.

The needle slid neatly out of the bulging vein in his neck, leaving behind a small hole in his flesh.

He tried to cry out, but the serum's effect was already in motion, blocking his throat and suffocating his voice. As the white-hot pain began to make its way through his unresponsive limbs, he could do nothing but lie helplessly, his eyes filled with alarm as nearly inaudible choking sounds rub his constricting throat raw. His eyes cut toward the body he feels standing calmly over him to catch a glimpse of the attacker in hopes that, should he survive, he could identify him.

The shadows were like a dark mask over the man's face. He saw nothing but that he was tall with dark locks and facial hair on his jaw line. The general description of over half the henchmen and followers of every one of his well-known enemies.

He tried to demand explanations from this sinister foe, but his throat was closing, making him pant for even the smallest flow of air.

The obscure stranger did not move, did not run or try to escape while he could, merely stood patiently over the paralyzed man, awaiting the inevitable and swiftly-coming death.

**QUEST COMPOUND, MAINE**

Hadji sat straight up in bed, realizing in an instant that he was breathing hard and soaked in a cold sweat. Something urgent in his dream pricked at his attention…

Without bothering to grab his turban from the bedpost, Hadji kicked back the blankets and raced from the room, slamming the door behind him with a resounding _bang_. He ran up the hall, up another short flight of stairs, taking the fastest route to the room he sought.

He had to go faster…he had to help him…

**QUEST COMPOUND, MAINE**

He only vaguely noticed the silhouette of the man's head suddenly turn, and that was when he heard the voice calling out from the other side of the locked door, though it was, in fact, the second time the voice shouted his name.

"Doctor Quest!" The rattle of the knob as someone struggled to open the door.

A low growl of intense fury, and then, in a flash of black, he was gone through the open window, two floors up off the ground. In the same second, the door exploded open with a crack as the wood frame was broken, and the sight of Race and Hadji rushing in filled his vision and gave him a spark of hope.

"What the…" Race trailed off and sprinted to the window, leaning out to see what had become of the apparent assailant.

The dark-haired man dove into an invisible rubber like force half-a-story down, landing gracefully on his feet and then leaping to the ground; the instant his feet hit the green grass he bounded away in the shield of the evergreen forest.

Race cursed and slammed his palms against the windowsill in frustration.

Meanwhile, Hadji leapt to Dr. Quest's side, his golden eyes widening in horror at the glazed look that coated the man's irises as his eyelids flickered twitchingly. His breathing was nothing but shallow, painful-sounding wheezes; his fingernails sliced into his palms and his entire frame shuddered in obvious agony, twisting the blankets into knots.

"What's happening?" demanded a panic-stricken voice from Hadji's right.

Hadji absently wondered when Jonny and Jessie had entered the room.

"He has been poisoned," he answered, wasting no time for explanations. "Race, help me hold him down. Jonny, Jessie, go to my room and get the skeleton antidote from my nightstand. Hurry!"

The two did not question their friend, and dashed out of the critical room so fast each of them nearly tripped and fell over the small staircase.

After what seemed to Jonny to be ages of running, he and Jessie finally burst back into his father's bedroom, the syringe and test tube containing the life-giving liquid in hand.

Almost immediately, he froze physically and mentally at the sight before him.

Whereas his father had before been seizing up all over and choking airlessly, he was now as still as a corpse, his eyes closed as if in deep slumber, his hands lying limply on the coverlet with small sprinkles of blood falling from the scrapes in his palms. Race and Hadji stood over him, both just as still, looks of intense helplessness written across both faces — it was a look he'd never seen Race wear before.

He felt his blood run cold.

Jessie must have shoved him forward, because he stumbled to the bedside and pushed the needle and bottle into Hadji's immobile hands almost violently enough to knock the young yogin over. This broke Hadji out of his dazed reverie and without a word he yanked off the cap of the skeleton antidote.

As he began to pour it into the glass connected to the long silver needle, a soft, wet noise broke the heavy silence. Jonny looked down reflexively to find the source of the sound, and then swiftly went from pale to gray, swaying nauseously on his feet.

His father's chest and throat rippled, small splatters of blackish-red blood beginning to surge from his mouth, darkly staining the perfectly white pillow beneath his head.

* * *

(1) There is a reason that his hair is red in this story; I will explain later, so just be patient with me. *wink*

* * *

_Oh, dear. Everybody loves/hates cliffhangers…_


	6. Chapter 4

_Special thanks to _dragonhavn _- thank you for all your reviews, on this story and on all the others which you've been kind enough to send feedback. I truly do appreciate it. *bigsmile*  
I don't know if anyone's noticed or not, but I have sort of a thing for Dr. Quest. He's always been my favorite character, because he always takes everything on with dignity, strength, and patience. In one of the shows (forgive me - I don't remember the name exactly) Jonny, Jessie, and Estella were kidnapped by Zin, and he would stop at nothing to save them, even going so far as to throw aside his respect and compassion and threaten a man's life; being a writer, I saw all the hidden depths and potentials there are to him...Okay, I need to stop rambling now and let you free of that awful cliffhanger in the last chapter...*hehe*_

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**QUEST COMPOUND, MAINE**

"Hadji!" Jonny could not stop the scream that rose in his throat, unable to control the panic and no longer caring who saw the tears fall.

His eyes glittering noticeably as well, Hadji moved with the speed and skill of a cat, pouring the clear, yellowish fluid into the syringe and shaking it for a few seconds before stretching out Dr. Quest's grey-tinted arm and injecting it into the vein in the crook.

Seconds ticked by with the speed of hours, the only audible noise that of Dr. Quest's revolting vomiting as more blood coated the pillow.

Nobody spoke. Nobody moved. Nobody breathed.

Race Bannon was rigid, clenching his fists until he could no longer feel them in a failed attempt to hide the shaking of his hands.

Hadji ground his teeth until his jaw ached, praying silently to his gods for mercy as he swallowed salty tears.

Jessie's hands were cupped over her mouth and nose, still not having recovered from the shock of seeing the man she respected and regarded as much as her own father spitting out clots of blood.

Jonny's vision swam, his entire body trembling as the tears coursed freely down his face. His mind was filled with only one sane thought. _Please, not my dad. Not my dad. Please, please…_

A minute went by. The blood flow began to thin, every muscle in the dying man's body slowing relaxed into the bedcovers.

Hope was fading along with him.

_Please, please, please…_

Another spasm, weak, as if his body was too tired to do it any longer.

_Open your eyes, wake up…please, Dad…_

No more movement. Not even a twitch.

_Don't do this to me…_

Hadji's shoulders began to slump defeatedly. They were too late.

At some point (none knew or cared when), Jessie had moved to stand closer to her dad, to be in that circle of safety from harm she had always associated with nearness to him. Now, as she read Hadji's unsaid words, a small sob escaped her throat and she clung to her father, digging her face into his chest, as if trying to block out the sight of the body.

Race wrapped his arms numbly around her, unable to believe his eyes. The Doc could not be dead. It was impossible. Unthinkable. He didn't die; he had proved over and over again to be too smart for that…What would they do without the man they all depended on for leadership? He couldn't leave them like this…

Hadji, ever the thoughtful and caring elder brother, pushed his own whirling emotions behind a tight reign of control — though he himself knew it would not last for more than a few minutes longer, at most. His legs shaking, hardly able to hold him upright, he somehow forced himself to walk over to where Jonny stood, motionless.

"Jonny?" he murmured, using that soothing tone he saved for moments of tragedy or terror, trying to keep the tears from cracking his voice as he laid his hand on his younger brother's tensed shoulder.

Jonny did not answer, did not even look at him.

A single hot tear rolled down his cheek, and it was all he could do to whisper brokenly, "I am sorry, Jonny, so sorry."

The words his friend spoke did not even register to the boy. For Jonny, time seemed to have stopped and disappeared altogether. Everything around him — the walls, the furniture, the pale moon, the stars, even his mourning and shocked family…it was all nothing but a blur of murky colors and distant, unintelligible sounds. Only one thing was understandable. It was the only thing in focus. That was the lifeless body of his brilliant father.

What would he do now? It was bad enough he had lost his mother; he had never gotten to even begin knowing her. Now, his father, who had been forced to act as both parents for him his entire life, was taken from him the same way his mother had been. Murdered by a cold-blooded killer, pulled from this life prematurely, before it was his time to go.

He knew he was going to have to move, cry, do _something_ eventually. But he could not bring himself to think about it right at that moment. All he could do was stand there, lost.

"Jonny, you must answer me," a pleading voice — rough with emotion — was saying in his ear, and he wished he had the power to tell whoever it was go to away, leave him alone with his grief.

He summoned all of his remaining strength and was about to do just that when there was a sudden, soft, gurgling noise that caused every head in the room to turn in disbelief.

Dr. Benton Quest's back arched as he tried to gulp in a too-deep breath. Immediately, he choked on the blood still caked in his throat, unconsciously leaning over the side of the bed and violently coughing it out, the dark splotches of blood mixing with vomit. Then, he collapsed onto his back, wiping his mouth, gasping in swallows of clean air with a repulsed and distorted expression across his face.

When his eyes at last blinked open, bright and dazed, the first rational thought that registered was that his son was standing over him, his handsome face covered in steadily-flowing tears and his whole frame shaking convulsively.

"Jonathan?" he murmured, his voice hoarse and rough from the ill-treatment. He was confused and yes, afraid, having no perception of why he was trembling and the coppery taste of blood still lingered in his mouth. But his family always came first in his life, and he knew that whatever was disturbing his child, he could make it better. He always could.

When there was no response, only complete and perfect silence, Dr. Quest worriedly struggling to a sitting position, watching his family through bleary eyes.

"What happened?"

The only answer was of Jonny suddenly throwing himself at his father, muffled, muted sobbing against his shoulder filling the silence as he shivered against him.

"Jonny?" He rubbed his son's back in comforting circles, more alarmed by the boy's reaction than caring what the incident itself actually was. "It's okay. I'm here, son. It's going to be all right. Just calm down."

His eyes flickered up to Race questioningly.

The cowboy — uncharacteristically pale under his summer tan — only gave a shaky, understanding smile, looking more relieved than he had ever seen. Jessie's arms were wrapped around him; she sighed deeply, a smile exactly identical to her father's playing across her tear-streaked face. Hadji stood near to them, his shoulders relaxing as he wiped tears from his golden, watery eyes.

Dr. Quest did not need to ask to know how close he had just come to death.

**To be continued...**

* * *

_Told you I had a thing for him...  
Please tell me what you thought of this - did I scare you at all? For just a second at least? *biggrin*_


	7. Chapter 5

_Major twist coming up..._

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**QUEST COMPOUND, MAINE**

"There is only one thing I do not understand, Jonny," said Hadji thoughtfully from where he sat on his younger brother's bed cross-legged. He had been ineffectively trying to meditate for the past half-hour, but his mind was still in such a whirl from the near-fatal adventure the night previous that he could not relax enough to fade into the astral plain. This, plus the fact that Jonny and Bandit had been destroying his entire bedroom in their fight over Jonny's sneaker.

"What's that, Hadj?" questioned Jonny distractedly, as he yanked at the white shoe that was lodged between a playful Bandit's powerful jaws.

Bandit growled, sounding more like a teasing chuckle, and yanked back, surprising Jonny by pulling him off balance, landing flat on his face on the hardwood floor.

Tolerantly ignoring this, Hadji answered, his eyes still closed as he attempted to push his mind and spirit into relaxation, "When I awoke from that terrible nightmare, I knew immediately that I had to reach your father. It was no question to me that it was a warning that he needed help. I felt such intense pain related to him that it shocked me fully awake."

"Yeah, so?" grunted Jonny as he struggled against his dog for the shoe. "You saved his life, Hadji. Why does that bother you?"

When Hadji did not answer, Jonny raised his sapphire eyes to meet the golden pair above him.

"The pain I felt radiating from him, Jonny," said the young Hindu slowly and with emphasis, "was _emotional_."

Jonny let go of the forgotten shoe, and Bandit fell back with a surprised yelp.

"_Not physical_," ended Hadji.

"What does that mean?" Jonny asked. The solemnity in his older brother's voice and face the same as when the Indian senses there is grave danger; that unnerved him instantly.

"There was great hurt," said Hadji calmly, "but it was not bodily. The agony that made me run to him was in his soul, not his flesh. I expected that when I reached him, he would tell me that one of you had died in the night; I never thought Race and I would find _him_ dying."

Jonny's forehead wrinkled as he remembered the two strange incidents of the day before — how his father seemed to be dazed and defensive in the morning, even so much as to flee from him, and not even to his own bedroom, and then intense and anxious in the night, when he had returned after saying he was going to bed just to seemingly grill him. The severe words echoed in his memory.

"_Even so far as to die?"_

What had he meant?

"C'mon, Hadji, let's find Jessie." He stood, a flash of determination and genius flashing through his usually mischievous, lighthearted blue eyes. "I want to talk to my dad. There's something going on here."

"Come, Bandit." Hadji clapped his hands as he followed.

The bull pup skittered clumsily after his humans.

**QUEST COMPOUND, MAINE**

"Come on, Jonny," Jessie said skeptically. "Why would your dad hide something from you? Especially if it had to do with someone trying to kill him? That's ridiculous."

"Look, Jess," Jonny said urgently, "all I know is that my dad acted weird all day yesterday. You guys saw him in the morning. Something had him freaked out. And last night, he wanted to be completely sure that I knew he would die for me. And then someone tries to kill him with poison just a few hours afterward? Something's got to be up that he's not telling us."

"And how do you expect to find out what that 'something' is, Jonny?" pressed Hadji. "If your father has not said anything yet, what makes you think he would if you asked?"

"We're not going to ask him," he replied confidently.

Jessie and Hadji shared their common we-should-run-while-we-can-but-we-won't-'cause-we're-curious look, and Jessie said hesitantly,

"Then what?"

Jonny grinned that lopsided grin he only got when he had something big up his sleeve. "We, my friends, are going to catch this guy. Whatever is going on here, the man from last night is the key to it all. And I have a plan to do it." (1)

"Of course he does," Hadji mumbled through a sigh.

Jonny didn't hear — or at least pretended not that he didn't — and took off down the hall toward his father's study.

Jessie, who was feeling his enthusiasm despite herself, smirked at ran after him.

Hadji watched them, looked at Bandit, who just stared back blankly, and then said submissively, "Come on, _Bandito_. We must make sure they do not kill themselves or their fathers." (2)

Bandit jumped up onto his back legs, waving his front paws and yapping excitedly, as if he understood, then trailed Hadji's heels as he walked calmly after his friends.

**QUEST COMPOUND, MAINE**

"I don't know, Race," Dr. Quest scratched the back of his head reflectively. "I didn't see his face. The only thing I can say for certain is that he must have been a professional. He slipped past every security shield in the system; he didn't set off one alarm and not a single camera in the house picked up anything."

"Yeah," answered his cowboy friend, who stood watching the six camera monitors over his shoulder. "And how did he know there was an undetectable glass buffer under the window to your room, Benton? After you built it, you never told anyone that it even existed."

Benton's face darkened. "He must have been watching the Compound for weeks, Race." He sighed and added exasperatedly, "If only I knew what he wanted."

Before his friend could respond, there was a knock at the door to the scientist's office.

"Come in," called Dr. Quest.

Jonny, Hadji, and Jessie quietly came into the immaculate room, filing in one by one, with Bandit following narrowly.

"Hey, kids," greeted Race as he narrowed his eyes ponderingly at the screens, hoping to catch a glimpse of the attempted murderer.

"Is everything okay?" asked Dr. Quest, concern for the safety of his children flitting across his handsome features.

"We have a way to catch this man," Hadji answered professionally.

"Oh?" Dr. Quest sat up and gave them his full attention. If there was one thing he'd learned over the years, when Jessie's fearless zeal, Hadji's calm intelligence, and Jonny's boundless imagination combined into a single strategy, it was bound to be foolproof.

"Well, it's obvious that this guy was pretty hell-bent on killing Dr. Quest," began Jessie. "And so it makes sense that he's still here somewhere, ready to finish the job, right?"

"It's plausible," agreed Race, then added encouragingly, "Shoot, kids. We're all ears."

**QUEST COMPOUND, MAINE**

Dr. Quest stood on the shores of the great Atlantic ocean in the cover of the night. The moon was blanketed entirely by thick, grayish clouds, making it no more than an indefinable point of milky light in the sky. There were no stars.

With a deep sigh of weariness, he forced his shoulders to relax and let his eyes roam over the oily black waters. As he breathed in the mild, salty sea air, he closed his eyes and took in the feel of the cool breeze against his skin. Every muscle in his body at last relaxed as he cleared his tired mind of all troubled thoughts.

Out of the shadows, a dark figure appeared and lunged at him, his movements precise and planned as a knife flashed in the dull light of the moon as it came down into the scientist's turned back, effectively slicing through his spinal cord.

There was a subtle thump of impact as the attacker rolled in the sand, his balance having been lost unexpectedly. The image of a frozen Dr. Quest flickered, then vanished altogether. It was as he felt a pair of overwhelming hands lock around his wrists and twist his arms painfully behind his back that he saw the holographic projector perched on the very rock whose shadow he had just been crouched beneath.

In a sudden fit of desperation, he struggled against the wall of muscle that held him captive and tried to push off his knees, but it was useless. He was caught.

He could distinguish four other shapes joining his failed target — two boys, a girl, and a small dog — and the man roughly containing him spat in a heavy Texan drawl, "Thought we made it easy for you, didn't you?"

"Now," said the famous inventor in the darkness with an air of authority, "let's see who you are, sir. Then perhaps we can discern your purpose here."

The stinging of his eyes from the shock of the bright light did not even register as he glared, beaten, at his captors.

Dr. Quest nearly dropped the high-powered flashlight in his hands as the beam struck the face before him. The breath of all present caught at the sight.

The pale, defiant face of Dr. Benton E. Quest blinked up at them in the harsh light.

* * *

(1) I have absolutely no clue why I'm even adding this, but the "key to it all" phrase is a mild throwback to the Real Adventures show called Expedition to Khumbu, where Jessie states, "The key is at Khumbu, I know it." Sorry for the interruption. *hehe*

(2) Another pointless throwback, this time the _Bandito _being in reference to what Jonny and Hadji used to sometimes call Bandit in the original shows, which leads me to the personal theory that Bandit is from a Spanish-speaking country. *biggrin*

* * *

_C'mon. You cannot tell me you didn't see that coming._


	8. Chapter 6

_Many thanks to __**la perla's mermaid**__ for the scientific assistance. I'm so much happier about this story now that I actually (sort of) know what I'm doing. Therefore, all credit for this chapter goes to __**la perla's mermaid**__, and I hope it's fixed now. (If there's still something or another that's not, please don't hesitate to let me know. Thanks)_

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**QUEST COMPOUND, MAINE**

The strange and new Dr. Benton Quest nearly stumbled as he was thrown roughly into the circular room of the Lighthouse, but retained his graceful balance and stood firmly, no hint of fear or regret in his dark features. The resemblance between him and the man who followed him closely into the room was too great even to call them identical brothers; as they glared at each other unflinchingly, one would think it was the same person looking into a mirror. There was one fantastic difference, however — while the real Benton Quest's hair was a strong shade of perfect auburn, the other's was raven black, with considerably more grey in shocking contrast to the coal-colored locks.

"I will ask you one last time," declared the true Dr. Quest as he, Race, and their kids filed into the room after him (Jonny holding Bandit against his chest to keep the mutt still). "_Who are you_, and what is your objective?"

The alternate Quest lifted his chin boldly and stated, "I told you: I am Doctor Benton Emmanuel Quest. As to my goal here, I do not deem that you will believe my story without proof."

"First, you'd best be proving your really Benton Quest," scoffed Race distrustfully, "because I know for a fact that this man is the real Doc Quest."

"I have no doubt of that," agreed the alternate Dr. Quest without reserve.

"Then how do you explain yourself?" pushed the scientist, undeniable fascination mixing with the suspicion in his chocolate eyes.

"Your American name is Benton Emmanuel Quest," he said coolly, reminding Dr. Quest eerily of himself giving a lecture at a university, "but your original identity was Nikodim Sokoll, of Russia." (1)

The eyes of Jonny, Hadji, and Jessie widened in shock and disbelief, for they knew nothing of this. Though Race's expression remained guarded, his jaw twitched and his eyes narrowed. He knew. Surprise overtook Dr. Quest's face and he turned his head to meet Race's aware eyes. The bodyguard shrugged and shook his head confoundedly.

"There are very few people on this planet that are privy to that information." He turned back to face his mirror image with acute severity. "That name was disposed of long ago. How do you know of it?"

Irritation shot across the alternate Dr. Quest's demeanor. Without verbal answer, he stalked to a small screen mounted on a nearby wall.

Race started to move forward, but Dr. Quest held his hand up as a signal to allow the other man passage. He had a feeling he knew what his other self was doing.

Surely enough, a white ray scanned the hand he placed against the black screen, and then Iris' monotone voice echoed throughout the Lighthouse.

"Identity match: Doctor Benton Emmanuel Quest, age: 45, occupation: inventor, scientist, historian, computer engineer, archaeologist, Egyptologist, biologist…"

As the list went on, it seemed to be nothing more than vague background noise to the people in the room, as the black-haired Quest faced them with an narrowed eyes.

The redheaded Dr. Quest's head cocked to the side, an expression interest playing across his features; Race, on the other hand, still looked nowhere near belief. The teenagers wisely remained in the background, though by now all three looked entirely at a loss, obviously having no idea what to think; Iris was perfect, and she never made a mistake, ever. Even Bandit glanced confusedly back and forth between the two identical fathers of his master.

"Please," pleaded the other Dr. Quest, "listen to my reasoning with an open mind, and try to understand what I tell you. I guarantee it is plausible."

Dr. Quest considered him for a moment, then declared, "Explain yourself, and then, based on the authenticity of your story, we will decide what we'll do."

The alternate Quest nodded agreeably, and then, without warning, a soul-deep despair seemed to drain the stubbornness and power from his entire body. The sensation of seeing such a look of absolute suffering on his father's handsome face nearly brought tears to Jonny's eyes for a second, before he firmly told himself to get a grip — this wasn't really his dad.

"I must warn you," he said quietly, bending his head, "what I have to say is not something you will want to hear. It is a story of more anguish than should ever be told."

"Tell us anyway. I'm sure we've heard worse," ordered Race.

A deep sigh, and then, "Very well." He straightened his back and began unemotionally, addressing Dr. Quest, "Do you remember, five years ago, the experiment you did on the manmade organism that was entitled a Dusk Spirillum?"

Dr. Quest furrowed his brow thoughtfully, then answered, "Yes, I believe so. It was a coal-colored experimental organism created accidentally by a group of environmentalists while trying to find a useful way of disposing of toxic wastes in the air, was it not? When they tested it in the troposphere, the spirillum cleansed the air of all dirtied oxygen, leaving behind only clean air. If I'm not mistaken, further experimentation in it was halted when I discovered that, when combined with the thinner oxygen of the stratosphere, it released severely dangerous toxins into the atmosphere…."

* * *

**CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT OF EVIROMENTAL POLLUTANT SOLUTIONS (CDEPS), UTAH  
****[FIVE YEARS PREVIOUS]**

"Thank you for coming, Dr. Quest," greeted Dr. Maria Ferlendez, shaking his hand cordially as he entered the neat office. "We really appreciate the work you've done to help us make our discovery successful. With your written endorsement, we'll finally be authorized to send the Dusk Spirillum airborne and do away with air pollution for good."

Dr. Quest smiled politely and sat in the leather chair on the other side of the caramel-skinned Venezuelan's cherry wood desk as she sat in her own chair. He didn't miss her eyes roaming curiously to the squared object covered by a white lab sheet which he sat on top of the desk.

"Well, what have you got for us, Doctor?" she asked with the air of a curious and open mind.

"Dr. Ferlendez," he began fervently, "over the past eight days, I have conducted my own personal experiments of the Dusk Spirillum."

"I trust that you found everything in order, as you told me yesterday afternoon?" she questioned, her brow wrinkling at the gravity of his tone.

"Actually, ma'am," he answered, lowering his voice, "no, I did not. Not at all."

She sat up, to show that she had given him her undivided attention.

"Well I spoke to you yesterday afternoon, I was completely sincere in my assurances that I found nothing wrong and everything right with the spirillum. The spirillum passed each and every test without difficulty. It seemed that it was, for lack of a better word, a miracle."

"Seemed?" she repeated, a shadow casting over her lovely face.

"When my young assistant, Hadji, and I returned just this morning after leaving the spirillum in a thinly oxygenated container with the three test mice we have been using all week, we made a rather disturbing discovery."

With that, he pulled the white sheet off of the object, revealing a very self-explanatory case. On the inside of the glass, one mouse laid limply on its back, its eyes opened wide and its neck literally shredded apart. The other two hissed and screeched and howled, locked in a flailing, vicious battle to the death, biting and clawing and slicing and bleeding.

"What is happening to them?" Dr. Ferlendez gasped, her eyes wide as she winced at the ugly sight.

"Apparently, when faced with danger of extinction through lack of oxygen, the spirillum began to give off some sort of new toxin which caused these poor creatures' mental and emotional natures to alter dramatically. They began to show symptoms of severe aggression and rabid behavior. I fear that this would be the result if the Dusk Spirillum were to influence a homosapian host."

"Meaning that this is much too dangerous to allow release," concluded Dr. Ferlendez in complete accord and understanding.

"Yes," he answered grimly.

She nodded without hesitancy. "I shall order an immediate discontinuation of all Dusk Spirillum production and experimentation." She looked deeply into his eyes. "Thank you, Dr. Quest; you possibly just saved us from a major world catastrophe."

* * *

**QUEST COMPOUND, MAINE  
****[PRESENT DAY]**

"Suppose for a moment," continued the alternate Dr. Quest, his eyes boring into his counterpart's intently, "that you had not been requested by Dr. Ferlendez to confirm a positive or negative on the Dusk Spirillum. Suppose you had not been aware of the spirillum's existence, and therefore had not been present to perform the side experiments that ceased its continuance. Suppose it was released into the atmosphere, and no one knew what it was capable of creating."

"I can hardly imagine the consequences," admitted the real Dr. Quest, his brow furrowed with deep concentration. "The possibility of what an event such as that could entail-"

"-is horrific," interrupted the alternate Quest in a strangely hoarse voice. "Unthinkable."

"Yes," he agreed. "My thoughts exactly. But what are you saying, sir? I fail to see how this answers any of our questions."

"This is my answer," he man said forcefully. "What I have just described to you is what transpired in _my_ dimension."

**To be continued…**

* * *

(1) No, this is not information given in the real shows. Yes, it is an original attribute of my own, which will be expanded upon in _Secrets_ (once I actually get the dern thing finished…). It's not a necessity to know in this story, though. Just a teasing preview. (Oh, and by the way, it's pronounced _**nee**__-ko-deem __**sok**__-ol_.)

* * *

_Okay, before you all say it, I just want to make it abundantly clear that until Saturday night at 11 o'clock, I had never seen or known anything *at all* about the movie called _I Am Legend_. It wasn't until I told this exact chapter to my friend **KayJoel** that he told me he saw a movie that was almost exactly like it, and I rented it and found that to be true.  
__So, if you'd rather think of this story as a crossover between _The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest_ and _I Am Legend_, you can, I don't mind. But it was not intentional, and the characters and situations from that movie will not be mentioned at all here. Some things are very different because one is the creation of Warner Bros. and one is mine._


End file.
